E-BOOK Wesmile _Vol 42 September

The Ellora Caves
The Ellora Caves are also a Unesco World Heritage
Site, only 30 km from the Ajanta caves, and is one
of the largest rock-cut monastery cave complexes
on Earth. It features a blend of Buddhist, Hindu and
Jain monuments, with artwork dating from 600-
1000 CE.
Over 100 caves were painstakingly excavated
from basalt cliffs. Nowadays, only 34 are open to
the public. They consist of 12 Buddhist caves (caves
1-12), 17 Hindu caves (caves 13-29), and five Jain
caves (caves 30-34).
The age-old temples and monasteries illustrate
the religious harmony between the three faiths even
over 2,000 years ago.
Cave 16 is a highlight of the system, and is
the site of the Kailasanatha Temple, instantly
recognizable as part of the Ellora cave system. It
features a megalith carved out of a single piece
of rock, typical of Dravidian architecture. Cave 32,
which is Jain, is called Indra Sabha, and has two
floors as well as richly decorated stupas.
Visitors at the caves receive a coin token for
entry and exit. A full-day visit is highly recommended
to allow yourself to be immersed in the beautiful
architecture, art and history, and comprehend the
earth-moving power of an ancient people’s faith.
Getting to Ajanta and nearby Ellora is easy,
thanks to flights by THAI Smile that take you from
Bangkok to Mumbai. After a one-hour domestic
flight to Aurangabad, a bus or taxi can take you to
the sites. The local highways are in good condition
and link all the Indian cities.
The best time to go is between October and
February, when the weather is cooler, whereas June
to September is the rainy season.
If you can withstand the hot season (March-May)
which has temperatures as high as 42°C, be sure to
bring a hat, sunglasses, a high-SPF sunscreen, moist
tissues, plenty water and a torch to fully enjoy the
details inside the caves.
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